Monday, November 23, 2015

I figured the best way to start this morning was by sharing this fantastic AP action photograph of Maury Wills attempting a tag on Pirates runner Bob Skinner in 1960. Unfortunately, the throw from catcher Johnny Roseboro was far off the mark, so the outfielder slid in safely for the steal.

Of note, this photograph was a part of "The George Michael Collection" who was a noted collector of Baseball sliding press photographs and former host of the once popular Sport Machine that aired opn television before the advent of ESPN. It was a nationally syndicated Sunday evening show featuring the best sports highlights of the week.

BTW, I thought this photo was apt considering the recent news of Dave Roberts' hiring as the new Dodger coach. As you may know, Wills and Roberts have an extremely tight bond. Via David Vassegh on twitter:

The Dodgers have an agreement to sign 19-year-old Cuban outfielder Yusniel Diaz for $15.5 million. Since Diaz is subject to the international bonus pools, the total price tag for the Dodgers will be $31 million, since they will have to pay a 100 percent overage tax on their pool signings. Even before reaching an agreement with Diaz, the Dodgers were already over their bonus pool, which means they won’t be able to sign any pool-eligible players for more than $300,000 for two years once the 2016-17 signing period begins on July 2. MLB.com first reported the agreement.

Diaz, who ranked No. 17 on Baseball America’s Top 20 Cuban player rankings in April, is 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with a lively, athletic frame and a track record of hitting well throughout the Cuban junior national leagues. After playing on Cuba’s 18U junior national team in 2013 and 2014, Diaz was a rookie with Industriales this past 2014-15 season in Serie Nacional. Diaz ranked sixth in the league in batting average, hitting .348/.447/.440 in 65 games with 36 walks, 33 strikeouts and seven stolen bases in 15 attempts. He almost certainly would have been the league’s rookie of the year had he not left the country soon after the season ended, but the award went to shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez instead.

“Estevez was kind of under the radar tools-wise, but he can hit,” said
one scout. “It’s playable defense and he’s not the most agile guy to be
in the middle of the diamond, but he has a polished bat. It’s not an
athletic body, it’s not what you get excited about, but the way he
recognizes pitches, his approach—you don’t see a lot of kids his age
doing that.”

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